Commercial ice making apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

A high throughput, short batch cycle commercial ice making machine produces commercial ice which resists melting in convenient sizes for mobile food carts, market produce, or fish displays. The machine introduces super-cooled water, that is in a liquid state while exposed to a temperature below freezing, into a batch of pre-formed hollow molds of one or more horizontally oriented ice forming freezing trays oriented horizontally. Using vapor compression refrigeration, the machine produces a plurality of supercooled ice segments in pockets within the freezing tray. The supercooled ice segments are rapidly subjected to a short, temporary contact with a high heat source from a sleeve integral with the freezing tray compartments, along a peripheral bottom surface of the ice segment accommodating freezing tray molds. This temporarily melts a bottom surface of each ice segment, lubricating it and loosening it. Then the machine rotates the freezing tray containing the batch of ice segments about its horizontally oriented axis to a vertically oriented dump position, thereby dumping the temporarily heated ice segments into the freezing tray.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to making ice cubes in ahorizontally oriented freezing tray having refrigerant and evaporatorconduits integral with, and in intimate contact with, the ice cube moldcompartments of a freezing tray, so that the resultant ice cubes have along shelf life before melting.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Commercial ice in convenient sizes for mobile food carts, marketproduce, or fish displays is needed in large quantities. However,especially in warm weather, the ice melts quickly and must bereplenished several times per day.

[0003] Many ice making machines make ice in vertically oriented freezingtrays. In vertical dripping, the later dripped water freezes differentlythan the earlier dripped water in a vertical cascade. In addition,freezing is inhibited because the vertical inflow of water releases moreenergy as the water cascades down, thus slowing the freezing time due tothe activity of the flowing, cascading water.

[0004] Among relevant vertically oriented ice making patents includeU.S. Pat. No. 4,474,023 of Mullins for an ice making machine. In Mullins'023, ice is formed by dripping water in vertically disposed trays,freezing the water into cubes, loosening the cubes by applying heatthrough adjacent evaporator conduits, then rotating the traysapproximately 30 degrees downward from a vertical position, therebydumping the formed ice cubes into a bin. Flexible hoses are used inMullins '023 for transporting both the water and the refrigerant inorder to allow pivoting of the freezing tray from the vertical waterloading position to the partially face-down dumping position. Mullins'023 uses a high heat source in a cycle reversal for causing temporaryloosening of the cubes from their individual molds within the tray, butthe evaporator is attached to the tray, not integrally formed therewith.As a result, the tray contacting surface of the ice cubes is notuniformly and quickly heated for a quick melt and release therefrom.

[0005] A similar ice cube making machine with a vertically orientedfreezing tray is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,459,824 of Krueger.However, the vertical orientation of Mullins '023 and Krueger '824increases drip inflow time, which provides a barrier to super-cooling ofthe water for forming the ice.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 4,255,941 of Bouloy describes an ice making machinewhich is vertically oriented. In Bouloy '941, there are shown twofreezing trays 22 welded back-to-back, wherein the trays 22 withsemi-circular molds 32 for each ice cube have spaces 48 between thetrays 22 for a reverse flow of alternately flowing refrigerant andevaporator gas. The hot gas is used to melt the ice cubes 124 from theirmolds 32 in each of the two back-to-back freezing trays 22.

[0007] The spaces 48 of Bouloy '941 are arcuate triangles formed betweenthe rounded backs of the semi-circular molds 32 forming the ice cubes

[0008] The disadvantage of Bouloy '941 is that since the two molds arewelded back-to-back, at the weld seams between the two molds eachlabeled 22, the refrigerant and alternately the hot gas can't flowthrough these closed seams, so there is not uniform intimate contact ofthe hot gas with the bottom of each ice cube mold 32 of each of thefreezing trays 22.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,956 of Lunde describes an ice cube makingmachine which requires an electronic sensor to interrupt the freezingcycle to thaw the cubes for dumping.

[0010] U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,964 of Ethington describes an ice cube makingmachine with a freezing cycle and a hot gas defrost valve used with adetector for detecting frozen ice. Ethington '964 is similar toconventional ice making machines in hotels and other commercialestablishments.

[0011] Among other US Patents for loosening frozen ice cubes from a trayice include U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,214 of Cornelius for a spray type icecube maker.

[0012] Moreover, among patents which heat trays for loosening ice cubesinclude U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,754 of Smith, which uses electrical heatingelements to thaw semi-circular ice cubes from a freezing tray. Inaddition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,852,064 of Rosenberg, 3,318,105 of Burroughs,2,112,263 of Bohannon 2,069,567 of White and 1,977,608 of Blystone alsouse electrical heating elements to thaw cubic ice cubes from a freezingtray. In Bohannon '263, Burroughs '105 and White '567, the electricalheating elements are arrayed in longitudinally extending heatingelements which extend adjacent to the sides and bottoms of ice cubefreezing tray ice cube forming compartments, but the heating elements donot provide uniform heat all along an under-surface of each ice cubetray compartment.

[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 2,941,377 of Nelson uses serpentine conduits ofevaporation fluid for loosening ice cubes, but only along the sides ofthe ice cube tray molds

[0014] U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,781,541 of Einstein, 5,218,830 of Martineau and5,666,819 of Rockenfeller and 4,055,053 of Elfving describerefrigeration units or ice making machines which utilize heat pumps foralternate heat and cooling.

[0015] Therefore, the prior art patents have the disadvantage of notallowing for supercooling of water on a horizontally oriented tray, andnot allowing for rapid but effective heating of all of the undersurfaceof each ice cube from adjacent evaporator conduits conforming to thesurface of the ice cube forming tray compartment molds, to provide onlya slight melting of the undersurface of each ice cube for lubricatingeach cube prior to dumping in a supercooled state into a collectionharvesting bin.

[0016] Furthermore, among the vertically oriented ice making machinessuch as of Mullins '023 or Bouloy '941, there is no way to use thefreezing trays horizontally as a display counter, such as in a fishmarket or retail store.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0017] It is therefore an object of the present invention to providesuper-cooled ice cubes with a long shelf life before melting, and toimprove over the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0018] It is yet another object of this invention to maximize the use ofa horizontally oriented freezing tray of an ice making machine, whereinthe horizontally oriented freezing tray has integral hollow sleeves inintimate contact with the freezing tray, to facilitate the rapidfreezing and discharge of the ice from the freezing tray.

[0019] Other objects which become apparent from the followingdescription of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0020] In keeping with these objects and others which may becomeapparent, the present invention is an efficient method of producing thiscommodity of melt-resistant ice is described by this invention. Themethod and apparatus of this invention uses one or more horizontallyoriented freezing trays in combination with conventional vaporcompression refrigeration using common refrigerants such as, forexample, “Free Environmental Refrigerant number 404A”. The quality ofthe product is superior as the apparatus outputs ice segments that aresupercooled (below or near 0 degrees F.) well below freezing temperaturethus affording even more cooling capacity per pound than just the heatabsorbed by the solid to liquid transition. The ice is produced inbatches in horizontally oriented freezing trays, wherein the batches arethen dumped automatically from the freezing trays.

[0021] Because the freezing trays are horizontally oriented, the wateris dripped at a uniform rate, unlike cascading water flowing downvertically oriented freezing trays. These horizontally oriented freezingtrays can also be used as counters for displaying objects kept at coldtemperatures, such as fish at a fish market or retail store. Moreover,these horizontally oriented freezing trays can be stacked horizontallyone on top of each other for maximum use.

[0022] The rapid cycle time achieved insures very good capitalefficiency as the weight of ice produced per day is high with respect tothe cost of the apparatus.

[0023] Key elements of this invention that contribute to its superiorperformance include the design of the freezing trays which form anintegral evaporator, as well as the method of dumping the ice product byrotating the tray from the horizontal to a vertical position. Thisrotation is facilitated by the use of flexible coolant hose connectionsto the freezing trays.

[0024] By cycle reversal (similar to a heat pump cycle), hot refrigerantis directed into the evaporation spaces in the trays for a brief “thaw”cycle which creates a thin layer of water at the interface between theice segment and the tray surface thereby dislodging the ice segmentwhile the tray is in the vertical position with the water layer actingas a “lubricant” to further aid in the dumping process. Since the “thaw”cycle has very high heating power causing a high temperature differencebetween the heated tray surface and the ice segment, this cycle isshort, and the heating of the ice surface is therefore localized to athin liquid interface layer which quickly refreezes upon being dumpeddue to heat transfer to the interior of the supercooled ice segment.

[0025] Therefore, to summarize the key features, integral evaporationchannels within the horizontally oriented freezing trays contribute toshort freezing cycles; rotation of freezing trays is facilitated bycoolant hose connections; dumping of ice product is accomplished byrefrigeration cycle reversal heating freezing trays internally; productproduced is convenient sized ice segments that are supercooled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] The present invention can best be understood in connection withthe accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limitedto the precise embodiments shown in drawings, in which:

[0027]FIG. 1 is a Side elevation view of an ice making system of thisinvention;

[0028]FIG. 2 is a Perspective view of an ice tray of this invention;

[0029]FIG. 3 is a Crossection view of an ice tray channel;

[0030]FIG. 4 is a Perspective view of an ice segment as produced by theapparatus of this invention;

[0031]FIG. 5 is an End view of freezing tray in the fill/freezingposition;

[0032]FIG. 6 is an End view of freezing tray in the ice cube dumpposition;

[0033]FIG. 7 is a Plumbing schematic of this invention showing fluidpaths for both freezing and “thaw” cycles;

[0034]FIG. 8 is an Electrical block diagram of this invention;

[0035]FIG. 9 is a Timing diagram of ice making cycle of this invention;

[0036]FIG. 10 is a Side elevation view of an alternate embodiment for anice making system having a countertop display and a removable waterinlet source, shown in the water introduction phase;

[0037]FIG. 11 is a Side elevation view of the alternate embodiment as inFIG. 10 for an ice making system having a countertop display, with thewater inlet source shown removed upward away from the countertopdisplay;

[0038]FIG. 12 is a Perspective view of the countertop freezing trayportion of the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11, shown with fish displayedthereon; and,

[0039]FIG. 13 is a Perspective view of an alternate embodiment for anice tray functioning as a physical therapy bed, shown with a user lyingthereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040]FIG. 1 presents an illustration of an embodiment of this inventionas a complete ice making system 1 housed on an upper floor 2 and a lowerfloor 3 of a building. The ice making apparatus 5 rests on support floor4 which has a large opening communicating with the floor 3 below. Underthis opening is conveyor belt 25 which moves dumped ice segments 26 tobin 27 which rests on the lower floor surface 28. A vapor compressionrefrigeration system 11 (part of ice making apparatus 5) includescompressor motor 12, compressor 13, fan motor 16, fan 15, heat exchanger14, and rigid refrigerant lines 17.

[0041] Frame 6 supports a horizontally oriented lower ice tray 21 withrotator housing 23 and a horizontally oriented upper ice tray 20 withits rotator housing 22. Control housing 10 is also attached to frame 6.

[0042] Flexible refrigerant hoses 18 connect upper tray 20 to housing10, while corresponding hoses 19 connect to lower ice tray 21. Fixedhousings for the two looped hose bundles 18 and 19 have been removed forthis illustration.

[0043] Prechilled water at just above the freezing point enters at 9 andis distributed by manifold and drip tubes 7 to upper horizontal tray 20while manifold and drip tubes 8 serve the same function for lowerhorizontal tray 21. While dual horizontal ice trays are shown in thisembodiment, an ice making machine with only one horizontal freezing trayor with as many as three stacked horizontal freezing trays may beconfigured to serve the desired capacity. A single ice tray system willbe described in the following detailed discussion. Implementation on twoseparate floors of a building as illustrated is also not required; aconveyor can be placed within frame 6 on a single floor of a building.The prechilled water from which ice is made can be supplied by aseparate chiller or by a heat exchanger on the evaporator line.

[0044]FIG. 2 shows horizontally oriented ice tray 20 which includes oneor more attached troughs 36, such as four, with ice segment separators35.

[0045]FIG. 3 is a crossection of a trough 36 showing inner ice formingsurface 38 which is circular attached at edges 41 to outer layer 39which is also circular, but of a smaller radius. This constructioncreates an enclosed space 40 through which refrigerant is conducted. Thematerial for the trough can be copper which is brazed at edges 41 andthen nickel plated. Other materials of high heat conductivity can beused as well. Welded stainless steel construction can be used for makingbrine ice for low temperature applications.

[0046] It is understood that water resting on surface 38 would freeze ifliquid refrigerant is permitted to evaporate within space 40; similarly,hot refrigerant vapors in space 40 would tend to condense melting ice incontact with surface 38. Ice segment separators 35 are similarlyattached as by brazing or welding; they are made of the same material asthe two layers of the trough.

[0047]FIG. 4 shows ice segment 26 with width W, length L and depth D.The maximum depth, Dmax, would be W/2 thereby making the end contourinto a semicircle. It has been found that a more shallow configurationdumps easier (shorter cycle time). Length L can be much longer than W ifdesired for some applications; this is regulated by the placement ofspacers 35.

[0048]FIGS. 5 and 6 show two positions of ice tray 20. In FIG. 5, it isin a slightly tilted position from horizontal (angle “h”) to facilitatefilling from drip tubes 7 with any overflow of chilled water capturedand returned in trough 47. After the filling period, the water inhorizontal tray 20 is frozen while in this position.

[0049] Typically, 3 hoses are attached to each horizontal tray 20, twosmaller evaporator hoses (approximately ⅜″ diameter) and a suction hose(about ½″ diameter). These types of hoses are currently used to carryrefrigerant in truck mounted units. In this figure only the vapor hose45 is shown so as to more clearly illustrate the spiral shape of theflexible connection from tray hose plate 46 to fixed attachment end at“F”. Housing 48 would occupy the outline as shown.

[0050] After the ice is formed, horizontally oriented tray 20 is rotatedclockwise (A) into the vertical position shown in FIG. 6. Note that thespiral of hose 45 is now tighter. When “thaw” heating is applied whilein this position, ice segments 26 are dumped from tray 20. After thedumping cycle is complete, tray 20 is rotated counterclockwise (B) backto the horizontal position for the next ice making cycle.

[0051] Both the ice making (freezing) cycle as well as the thaw cycleflow are shown on the flow schematic of FIG. 7. In addition tocomponents already mentioned, expansion/throttle valve 57 with bypasscheck valve 58, expansion/throttle valve 59 with bypass check valve 60,as well as 3-port solenoid valves 55 and 56 are shown.

[0052] In the freeze cycle (shown by solid arrow shafts), liquidrefrigerant flows through expansion valve 59 into ice tray 20 where itevaporates by extracting heat from ice water thereby freezing it.Suction is drawn from horizontal tray 20 by a path from orifice “C” toorifice “A” of solenoid 56 to the input of compressor 13. Refrigerantvapors are compressed and emerge from compressor 13 as hot vaporsthrough orifice “A” to orifice “B” of solenoid 55 and onward to heatexchanger 14 which is now acting as a condenser with liquid refrigerantflowing through check valve 58 to complete the cycle.

[0053] For the thaw cycle (shown by dashed arrow shafts), liquidrefrigerant flows through expansion valve 57 into heat exchanger 14which now acts as an evaporator extracting heat from environmental airto vaporize refrigerant. Suction is drawn from heat exchanger 14 by apath from orifice “B” to orifice “A” of solenoid 56 to the input ofcompressor 13. Compressed hot vapors emerge from compressor 13 throughorifice “A” to orifice “C” of solenoid 55 and onward to ice tray 20which now acts as a condenser giving up heat to melt a surface of icesegments whereby refrigerant is condensed to a liquid which flowsthrough check valve 60 to complete the cycle. Note that segments ofpiping 61 and 62 denote flexible hoses.

[0054] Certain controls and electrical wiring are required to supportthe activity described in FIG. 7.

[0055] For example, FIG. 8 is an electrical block diagram whichdescribes the functioning of this invention. Either three phase AC orsingle phase 3-wire utility electricity enters at 70. Utility box 71contains protection fuses. Contactor 72 applies power the entire icemaking system including refrigeration subsystem 11. A master timer 73controls the timing of the various components; solenoid 74 whichcontrols the filling of ice tray 20 is directly controlled. Motorcontroller 75 gets its timing cue from master timer 73 to initiate theoperation of motor 76 which changes the position of tray 20 form oneposition to the alternate position. Limit switch 78 stops motor 76 whentray 20 has reached the fill position; limit switch 77 stops motor 76when tray 20 has reached the vertical position. Solenoid controllers 79and 80 control solenoids 55 and 56 respectively upon cues from mastertimer 73. While illustrated as an open-loop control, timer 73 can beenhanced with feedback sensors such as temperature and/or refrigerantpressure sensors; however, since operating conditions should be quiteinvariant once initially set up, this refinement may not significantlyimprove efficiency and can contribute to unreliable operation.

[0056]FIG. 9 shows a timing diagram of the various operations. Thetiming relationships, durations, and overlap can be seen for a typicalinstallation. A total cycle time for making an ice batch of ten minutesis achievable with proper matching of the various parameters. This wouldbe illustrated by the chart distance from the start of a “water fill”pulse to the next. Water filling, freeze periods, dump turning, thawperiods, and fill turning are illustrated in the timing diagram.

[0057]FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 show alternate embodiments with respect tothe horizontal orientation of the freezing tray.

[0058] In FIGS. 10 and 11, inlet drip tubes 108 are shown close tofreezing tray 121 for introducing water, and then inlet drip tubes 108lifted out of the way as in FIG. 11, so that tray 121 can be used as acounter-top for displaying fish for sale at a fish store, as shown inFIG. 12.

[0059] FIGS. 10-12 presents an illustration of an embodiment of thisinvention as a countertop display ice making system 101. The ice makingapparatus 105 rests on support floor 104 which has an optional drainopening 124 communicating with the floor 104. A vapor compressionrefrigeration system 111 (part of ice making apparatus 105) includescompressor motor 112, compressor 113, fan motor 116, fan 115, heatexchanger 114, and rigid refrigerant lines 117.

[0060] Frame 106 supports a liftable or removable horizontally orientedice tray 21 with lift mechanism 123. Control housing 110 is alsoattached to frame 106.

[0061] Flexible refrigerant hoses 119 connect horizontal countertop tray121 to housing 110.

[0062] Prechilled water at just above the freezing point enters at inlet109 and is distributed by manifold and drip tubes 108 to horizontalcountertop freezing tray 121. While liftable horizontal countertop icetray 121 is shown in this embodiment, an ice making machine with aremovable or horizontally shiftable horizontal countertop freezing trayor trays 121 may be configured to serve the desired capacity. Theprechilled water from which ice is made can be supplied by a separatechiller or by a heat exchanger on the evaporator line.

[0063]FIG. 12 shows horizontally oriented countertop ice tray 121displaying fish 180 thereon. Tray 121 includes one or more attachedtroughs 136, such as four, with ice segment separators 135.

[0064]FIG. 13 shows an even further alternate embodiment where thehorizontal freezing tray 220 is used as a physical therapy bed devicefor a human patient 280 with a need for ice application to the back,neck or limbs. FIG. 13 shows corresponding attached troughs 236 with icesegment separators 235. It is anticipated for user comfort that the topsof troughs 236 and separators 235 are covered with an soft elastomericmaterial, such as rubber or synthetic materials such as polyurethanefoam.

[0065] Furthermore, in the embodiments of FIGS. 10-13 where the ice canremain in place and does not have to be dumped until melted after use asa display countertop or physical therapy bed, then the introduction ofhot gas in the curved hollow sleeves under respective ice segmentcompartments 136 or 236 can be optional if the ice formed just stays inplace until melted, such as in a fish display or in the physical therapybed embodiment. In that case one would only need the refrigerant to flowthrough hollow arcuate sleeves similar to hollow arcuate sleeves 40 inFIGS. 1-3 herein, to freeze the water in horizontal countertop tray 121of FIG. 12 or physical therapy bed 221 of FIG. 13.

[0066] In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictionsare used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessarylimitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrationsdepicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms andillustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scopeof the present invention.

[0067] It is further known that other modifications may be made to thepresent invention, without departing the scope of the invention, asnoted in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A commercial ice making method for producing commercial icein convenient sizes for at least one of mobile food carts, marketproduce, or fish displays comprising the steps of: introducing waterinto at least one batch of pre-formed hollow molds of at least one iceforming freezing tray oriented horizontally with respect to alongitudinally extending axis; using vapor compression refrigeration toproduce a plurality of ice segments in at least one batch in pocketswithin said freezing tray; supercooling said ice segments to atemperature below 0 degrees F.; rapidly subjecting said supercooled icesegments to a short, temporary contact with a high heat source along aperipheral bottom surface of said tray mold; rotating said tray moldcontaining said at least one batch of ice segments about saidhorizontally oriented, longitudinally extending axis to a verticallyoriented dump position; and, dumping said temporarily heated icesegments from said freezing tray into a collection bin.
 2. Thecommercial ice making method as in claim 1 further comprising the stepof providing said high heat source into an evaporator conduit having ashape integral with respective water accommodating ice cube formingcompartments of said freezing tray.
 3. The commercial ice making methodas in claim 2 further comprising the step of reversibly cycling saidhigh heat source into said evaporator into said integral pre-formedevaporator conduit for a brief thaw cycle, thereby creating a thin layerof water at an interface between said ice segments and a surface of saidfreezing tray, thereby lubricating and dislodging said ice segmentswhile said tray is in a vertical dumping position, wherein saidperipheral bottom surfaces of said ice segments melt, whereby heating ofsaid bottom surfaces of said respective ice segments is localized to athin liquid interface layer; which said thin liquid interface layerquickly refreezes upon said dumped ice cube segments being dumped intosaid collection bin.
 4. The commercial ice making method as in claim 3further comprising the step of isolating and moving said dumped icesegments to said collection bin and storing said ice segments therein.5. The commercial ice making method as in claim 3 further comprising thestep of moving said freezing tray and said integral evaporator conduitin unison during said rotating of said freezing tray for dumping saidice segments having said temporarily thawed ice contact surfaces.
 6. Thecommercial ice making method as in claim 1 wherein said water enterssaid freezing tray at a temperature just above freezing and isdistributed by dripping to said at least one horizontally orientedfreezing tray.
 7. The commercial ice making method as in claim 1 whereinsaid freezing tray is separated into ice segment containing compartmentsseparated by conductive separator walls.
 8. The commercial ice makingmethod as in claim 7 wherein said ice segment accommodating surfaces ofsaid freezing tray are provided in hollow, semi-cylindricalcompartments, and said evaporator conduit is provided in an enclosed,hollow arcuate sleeve encompassing an enclosed space through which saidrefrigerant and said high heat source is alternately conducted beneathsaid ice segment compartments, wherein said hollow arcuate sleeve has ashape conforming to adjacent ice accommodating portions of said freezingtray compartments and said hollow arcuate sleeve is in intimate contactwith said ice segment accommodating surfaces of said freezing tray. 9.The commercial ice making method as in claim 8 wherein formation of saidice segments is accomplished by first evaporating said refrigerantthrough said hollow enclosed arcuate sleeve and then temporarily thawingsaid bottom surface of said respective ice segments when saidrefrigerant is withdrawn and is replaced by a temporary heat sourcebeing introduced into said hollow enclose arcuate sleeve, which saidtemporary heat source is subsequently withdrawn upon said temporarythawing of said bottom surfaces of said respective ice segments.
 10. Thecommercial ice making method as in claim 9 further comprising the stepof making said ice segment accommodating compartments of said freezingtray shallow by increasing a radius of arc of said compartments anddecreasing a vertical height thereof.
 11. The commercial ice makingmethod as in claim 9 further comprising the step introducing said waterinto said horizontally oriented freezing tray and laying said waterstationary within said tray until said water is frozen.
 12. Thecommercial ice making method as in claim 5 wherein said rotating of saidfreezing tray is facilitated by the use of loops of flexible refrigeranthoses.
 13. The commercial ice making method as in claim 12 wherein in afreeze cycle said liquid refrigerant flows through an expansion valveinto said freezing tray, whereupon said refrigerant evaporates byextracting heat from said water thereby freezing said water into saidice segments, whereby further said refrigerant flows to a heat exchangeracting as a condenser with said liquid refrigerant flowing therethrough.14. The commercial ice making method as in claim 13 wherein said liquidrefrigerant flows through an expansion valve into said heat exchangeracting as an evaporator extracting heat from ambient air to vaporizesaid liquid refrigerant, wherein suction is applied to said vaporizedrefrigerant from said heat exchanger to a compressor and onward to saidhollow arcuate sleeve of said freezing tray, which said freezing tray issubject to said temporary high heat source through said hollow arcuatesleeve and said freezing tray acts as a condenser giving up heat totemporarily melt said bottom surfaces of said ice segments.
 15. Thecommercial ice making method as in claim 14 wherein use of said arcuatesleeve in intimate contact with said freezing tray promotes rapid heattransfer, causing short ice batch formation cycles thereby providinghigh throughput of said ice segments.
 16. A commercial ice makingapparatus for producing commercial ice in convenient sizes for at leastone of mobile food carts, market produce, or fish displays comprising: awater introduction inlet introducing water into at least one batch ofpre-formed hollow molds of at least one ice forming freezing trayoriented horizontally with respect to a longitudinally extending axis;at least one sleeve introducing vapor compression refrigerant inintimate contact with ice accommodating compartments of saidhorizontally oriented freezing tray to produce a plurality of icesegments in at least one batch in pockets within said horizontallyoriented freezing tray; said refrigerant supercooling said ice segmentsto a temperature below 0 degrees F.
 17. The commercial ice makingapparatus as in claim 16 further comprising a timer rapidly subjectingsaid supercooled ice segments to a short, temporary contact with a highheat source along a peripheral bottom surface of said horizontal tray.18. The commercial ice making apparatus as in claim 17 furthercomprising a rotator rotating said freezing tray containing said atleast one batch of ice segments about said horizontally oriented,longitudinally extending axis to a vertically oriented dump position anddumping said temporarily heated ice segments from said freezing trayinto a collection bin.
 19. The commercial ice making apparatus as inclaim 16 wherein said at least one refrigerant sleeve providing saidhigh heat source in intimate contact with said horizontal freezing trayhas a shape integral with said respective water accommodating ice cubeforming compartments of said freezing tray.
 20. The commercial icemaking apparatus as in claim 19 further comprising a reversibly cycleheat pump alternately cycling said refrigerant and said high heat sourceinto said integral sleeve for a brief thaw cycle, thereby creating athin layer of water at an interface between said ice segments and asurface of said freezing tray, thereby lubricating and dislodging saidice segments while said tray is in a vertical dumping position, whereinsaid peripheral bottom surfaces of said ice segments melt, wherebyheating of said bottom surfaces of said respective ice segments islocalized to a thin liquid interface layer; which said thin liquidinterface layer quickly refreezes upon said dumped ice cube segmentsbeing dumped.
 21. The commercial ice making apparatus as in claim 16wherein said water inlet source is removable away from said horizontalfreezing tray, exposing said freezing tray for display of objectsthereon.
 22. The commercial ice making apparatus as in claim 17 whereinsaid horizontal freezing tray is separated into ice segment containingcompartments separated by conductive separator walls.
 23. The commercialice making apparatus as in claim 22 wherein said ice segmentaccommodating surfaces of said horizontal freezing tray are provided inhollow, semi-cylindrical compartments, and said integral sleeveencompasses an enclosed space through which said refrigerant and saidhigh heat source are alternately conducted beneath said ice segmentcompartments, wherein said hollow arcuate sleeve has a shape conformingto adjacent arcuate ice accommodating portions of said freezing tray andsaid hollow arcuate sleeve is in intimate contact with said ice segmentaccommodating surfaces of said horizontal freezing tray.
 24. Thecommercial ice making apparatus as in claim 23 wherein said formation ofsaid ice segments is accomplished by first evaporating said refrigerantthrough said hollow enclosed arcuate sleeve and then temporarily thawingsaid bottom surface of said respective ice segments when saidrefrigerant is withdrawn and is replaced by a temporary heat sourcebeing introduced into said hollow enclose arcuate sleeve, which saidtemporary heat source is subsequently withdrawn upon said temporarythawing of said bottom surfaces of said respective ice segments.
 25. Thecommercial ice making apparatus as in claim 23 further comprising saidice segment accommodating compartments of said freezing tray beingshallow with an increased a radius of arc of said compartments and adecreased a vertical height thereof.
 26. The commercial ice makingapparatus as in claim 17 wherein in a freeze cycle said liquidrefrigerant flows through an expansion valve into said freezing tray,whereupon said refrigerant evaporates by extracting heat from said waterthereby freezing said water into said ice segments, whereby further saidrefrigerant flows to a heat exchanger acting as a condenser with saidliquid refrigerant flowing therethrough.
 27. The commercial ice makingmethod as in claim 26 wherein said liquid refrigerant flows through anexpansion valve into said heat exchanger acting as an evaporatorextracting heat from ambient air to vaporize said liquid refrigerant,wherein suction is applied to said vaporized refrigerant from said heatexchanger to a compressor and onward to said hollow arcuate sleeve ofsaid freezing tray, which said freezing tray is subject to saidtemporary high heat source through said hollow arcuate sleeve and saidfreezing tray acts as a condenser giving up heat to temporarily meltsaid bottom surfaces of said ice segments.